At the Soccer
Match
Ollie Octopus’s
Restaurant
Look at This
The Jungle Boat
Ride
Sam
Word/s Introduced
Benny Wants to
Go Out
High Frequency
Narrative
Text Type
89
Word Count
4
Level
A Trip to the Zoo
Level 4
Book a
The Funfair
We have designed these lesson plans so that, if you wish, you can have the plan in front of
you as you teach, rather than a copy of the book. Each page of the book is illustrated in the
plans together with some suggestions for teaching. These have been divided into questions
and discussion that you may have before the children read the book and after the children have
completed the reading. Some of you may prefer to explore the meaning and the language in more
detail before the children read. Your decisions will depend on the gap between the children’s
current knowledge and the content, vocabulary, and language of the book they are about to read.
Remember that the more information the children have up front, the easier it will be for them to
read the text. However, this does not mean that you should read the text to them first.
We have addressed four areas that we think are important in developing good readers. As well as
comprehension and decoding, we have addressed the issue of children being able to analyse and
use the texts they read. The symbols below guide you to the type of question or discussion.
This symbol relates to comprehension
(meaning maker)
This symbol relates to decoding
(code breaker)
This symbol relates to critical analysis
(text critic or analyser)
AFTER READING
BEFORE READING
This symbol relates to use
(text user)
Cover &
Title Page
Ask the children to describe what they
see in the pictures. Talk about who
the characters might be and how they
might be related to one another. Talk
about the setting of this story – the zoo.
Invite the children to share any
times when they have been to
a zoo, what they saw there, and
what their favourite animal is.
2
Read the author and
illustrator’s names.
Why are there names
here? Identify book
conventions.
Check reading strategies with the
children. Remind them to match one
spoken word with one written word
as they read.
Ollie Octopus’s
Restaurant
4/5
Ask the children to point to the
words and and are. Then ask them
to spell the words and put them into
sentences to share with the rest of
the group to clarify meaning and use.
The Jungle Boat
Ride
Ask the children to look at the picture and
describe what they see. Talk about the animals
and ask the children if they have ever seen
these animals up close. Can they predict what
the characters might be talking about?
Sam
BEFORE READING
Ask the children the names
of all the characters. They
need to refer to the text and
point to which one is which
in the picture.
Look at This
AFTER READING
BEFORE READING
Encourage the children to look at this picture and
describe what they see. Identify the expressions
on the faces of the characters and explain what
might be happening here.
At the Soccer
Match
Benny Wants to
Go Out
Ask the children to tell
you what Zack said,
identifying the words
in the text.
Ask the children to identify the words I and like. Spell
them, identifying them in the text one-for-one, and ask
the children to put them in some sentences to ascertain
their understanding of the meaning. Identify the word
lions and discuss plural and singular words.
3
The Funfair
AFTER READING
A Trip to the Zoo
2/3
Ask the children to describe what is happening in the picture.
Talk about the character in the wheelchair. Discuss why some
people have to sit in a wheelchair. Talk about how people might
stare at people in wheelchairs and how it might make them feel.
Ask the children which
character likes the monkeys.
Encourage them to point to
the word Jim.
8/9
AFTER READING
BEFORE READING
AFTER READING
BEFORE READING
6/7
Ask the children to cover the text and
describe where the family is in the picture.
Talk about the giraffes and ask the children
to guess what the text might say.
Ask the children what Dad
said to the boys. Encourage
the children to point to the
words that Dad said.
4
Ask the children to point to the words can and Jim.
Can they identify the short a and i vowel sounds in
them? Spell the words and ask the children to think of
other words with the same vowel sounds.
Encourage the children to
use vocabulary and style
similar to that of the author.
Talk to the children about the words said and the. Spell
them and collect some sentences together that clarify their
meaning and use. Then look at the punctuation, identifying
its functions and uses. Identify the plural word in the text.
Ask the children to identify the
animal in the picture. Encourage
the children to use the text to
locate the information.
Where
Is My
Daddy?
Look
at This
BEFORE READING
AFTER READING
Ask the children what they have enjoyed
so far in this book. Ask them to think
about anything else they would like to
see in the next pages of this book.
Ollie Octopus’s
Look at the Cats
Restaurant
Identify the words Look and at. Ask the
children to spell them and put them in
some sentences of their own. Then find
the plural word on the page.
The Jungle Boat
Fruit
Ride
12/13
Ask the children to describe the animal in this picture.
Have they ever seen a camel up close? Can they guess
what the boys are saying about the camel?
Where Sam
Is My Pet?
BEFORE READING
Ask the children to describe
what is happening in this
picture. Can they predict what
is going to happen next?
At the Soccer
Duck School
Match
Benny Wants to
Betty Bee’s Lunch
Go Out
Ask the children to tell you what
they think about this book so far
and what they have enjoyed most.
Which other animals would they
like to see in the book? Why?
Identify the word Zack. Can the children identify
the short a vowel sound? Which other words with
the same vowel sound can the children think
of? Ask the children what they would add to the
word camel to make it a plural word.
5
TheShips
Funfair
AFTER READING
Kanga and Platty’s
A Trip to the Zoo
Space Trip
10/11
Ask the children to look at the
picture and describe everything
they can. What is the family
looking at now?
Ask the children to guess what
Mum might be saying. Encourage
them to match the author’s
vocabulary and style.
Ask the children to identify the word Mum. Can
they identify the short vowel sound in the word?
Then discuss the punctuation on the page.
16
Ask the children to tell you what has happened and the
reactions on the characters’ faces. How are they all feeling
now? Would the children like to be there with the characters?
AFTER READING
BEFORE READING
AFTER READING
BEFORE READING
14/15
Ask the children to read through
the book again and find their
favourite page, explaining why.
6
Ask the children to find all the
plural words in this book and
list them together.
4 a A Trip to the Zoo
Name __________________
Cut out the sentences.
Read them.
Put them in the right order.
“Here is a camel,” said Zack.
“I like the monkeys,” said Jim.
“I like the elephant,” said Mum.
Jim and Zack and Mum
and Dad are at the zoo.
Permission is given to teachers to reproduce this page for classroom use.
4 a A Trip to the Zoo
Name __________________
Make these words into plurals.
giraffe
___________
lion
___________
monkey
___________
seal
___________
Draw your favourite picture in the book.
Write a sentence.
Permission is given to teachers to reproduce this page for classroom use.